Redesign Will Correct
Sidewalk Puddles]
Continued from Page 1
Investigating the cause and
solution of the sidewalk drainage
problem uncovered a web of
responsibilities. The “Library of
the Future” construction process
is complicated.
This is typical of major con
struction projects, according to
David Hooper, a professional
engineer unattached to the
library project.
“Site designs would indicate
changes in grading,” Hooper
said. Contractors would bear the
responsibility for meeting the
specifications on the design.
However, if no grading
changes were included in the
architect’s design, contractors
would not change the site’s
grade, Hooper admits.
According to a copy of the
contract on file with the Pa.
Department of General Services,
architects Shepley Bulfinch
Richardson Abbot of Boston and
Hayes Large of Altoona, Pa., are
responsible for design.
The contract names
Benchmark Construction
Company as the General
Contractor, but PSH’s Dankanich
admits there are five major con
tractors on site.
According to Dankanich, a
team of inspectors, who report to
DGS Construction Inspection
Supervisor Bob Hughes, is
responsible for identifying prob-
The interior of the new library is still taking shape. It is to be completed by
Oct. 22.
Job conference meetings
occur periodically, according to
Dankanich. Once problems are
identified, architects from Hayes
Large design a solution. Then,
contractors and subcontractors
implement the design.
The ultimate responsibility for
overseeing the $17.33 million
construction project rests with
DGS, according to Dankanich.
Construction should be com
plete by Oct. 22 and will be fol
lowed by a two-to-three week
review of all aspects of the new
building. DGS staff will follow
what Hevner described as a
punch-list to check the function
of each switch and doorknob.
“When the state is satisfied,
then Penn State gets the keys,”
■ Hevner said.
The puddles did offer return
ing students the first chuckle of
the semester. Landscaping of the
site appearfed to be complete, but
left puddles as visible obstacles
to the multi-million dollar
library.
The puddle issue was over
heard in multiple campus con
versations that also included out
rage over the prices of textbooks
and the parking fee.
Cartoonist Alice Potteiger
Wilkes captured the sentiment in
The Capital Times with a draw
ing of the newly christened
“Library Ferry” offering passage
across the flood.
Select Group Previews New Library
By Cathie McCormick Musser
Capital Times Staff Writer
A carefully selected group of
Penn State Harrisburg faculty,
staff and students joined Library
Director Dr. Harold Shill for a
sneak preview of the “Library of
the Future” on the afternoon of
Sept. 27.
After a safety briefing by Ed
Dankanich, PSH’s Physical
Plant Director, the guests wan
dered through three dusty floors
of potential - carefully stepping
over and around wires, boxes
and holes. Shill painted a
detailed picture of the new
library for the group.
Tour members were im
pressed. According to Associate
Professor of Psychology Dr.
Thomas Bowers, the library
“looks real promising.”
Invitees included members of
two faculty committees: the
Library Committee and the
Information Systems and
Technology Committee. Also
invited was Student Government'
Association President Roderick
Lee and a Capital Times reporter
and photographer.
The two committees have an
obvious stake in the library.
According to Dr. Thang Bui,
Information Systems and
Technology Committee
Chairman, his committee made
recommendations during the
library planning process on the
ideal number of data drops the
library should contain and the
ideal computer-desk design.
When complete, 92 percent of
the seats in the library will have
data ports.
In contrast, Library
Committee Chairman Bowers
admitted his team’s input during
the planning process was limit
ed. According to Bowers, the
Library Committee advised the
library administration on the
needs and interests of the facul
ty.
While not heavily involved in
planning, Bowers admitted the
faculty is excited about the
library.
The new facility “will help
both faculty and graduate stu
dents with their research,”
Bowers said. The Library
Committee did make recom
mendations while on the tour.
For
instance, Library
Committee member Karen
Brown suggested keeping at
least one copier in the Olmsted
building for students after the
Library Director Dr. Harold Shill (left) conducts a tour of the new library.
new library opens
Brown commented that it
would be inconvenient, especial
ly during bad weather, for stu
dents to travel from Olmsted
classrooms to the library for
copies. The suggestion drew
immediate nods from the rest of
the committep. Dr. Shill jotted
the idea bn his legal tablet.
While SGA President
Roderick Lee appreciated the
tour, his initial response was to
request inclusion of more stu
dents. Lee has arranged for SGA
members to tour the new library
in late October.
Shill orchestrated the pre
completion tour for two main
reasons. He wanted to gather
comments while changes are still
possible and he nQW lfo rar y j s
wanted the tour J
members to 115,000 square feet
“get a sense of compared to the
how the build- __ ___ r . ,
in g works.” 37,205 feet of
During the Heindel Library.
excitedly poked his fingers into
data port wall sockets to explain
the preparation for fiber optic
cable and traced removable floor
tiles in the technology-enhanced
classroom.
The most important concepts
in the design of the library were
“flexibility and functionality,”
Shill said.
According to Shill, the
“Library of the Future” was
designed as a hybrid print and
electronic resource. There are
638 data ports in the plan. This
is a dramatic increase from the
39 data ports available in
Heindel Library.
However, the new library will
house only 180 computers. The
planners are assuming that future
visitors will carry laptop com
puters into the library.
According to Shill, once con
nected to the library network,
visitors will enjoy access to the
library’s databases, the State
Data Center and the Internet.
When research calls for print
materials, however, the library’s
complete set of books, periodi
cals and special collections will
be readily available.
In an interview before the
library tour, Shill described his
vision of the typical 2004 library
visitor. After enjoying a cup of
cappuccino in the CyberCafe,
this hypothetical visitor will plug
a laptop computer into one of the
638 data ports.
Using both print and electron
ic resources, the visitor will be
able to compose documents and
print them on the library printer.
The list of dif-
ferences between
the current and
new library is
extensive. Most
obvious to tour
members was the
difference in size.
library is 115,000 square feet
compared to the 37,205 feet of
Heindel Library.
There will be 14 group study
rooms compared to the three cur
rently available. Graduate stu
dents and faculty will be able to
reserve one of 36 graduate study
carrels. There are no graduate
study carrels in Heindel Library.
Other than the planned SGA
tour, there are no additional pre
views scheduled, according to
Shill. Once the building is com
plete and the furniture is in
place, the chore of moving the
library’s collection begins.
The move will take 11 or 12
days and is scheduled for the
holiday break.
If everything goes according
to schedule, the “Library of the
Future” will be open to the
Central Pennsylvania communi
ty on Jan. 4.